A proverb says, “Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t.” In spite of that bit of wisdom hanging around since the mid-1500s, the message doesn’t seem to be resonating with Ontario voters.

Obviously the devil we know is Premier Kathleen Wynne and the one we don’t know is Doug Ford, the Progressive Conservative leader.

Polls continue to show Ford with a commanding lead over Wynne in the June 7 election. Even NDP Leader Andrea Horwath polls better than Wynne.

Out-of-control spending is a big part of Wynne’s problem. An Ipsos poll conducted for Global News shows 71 per cent of respondents prefer spending cuts to balance the budget rather than continuing to run deficits.

A full 52 per cent of Liberals responding to the survey were in favour of a higher level of fiscal responsibility at Queen’s Park. A total of 89 per cent of PC respondents supported spending cuts as did 59 per cent of NDPers.

The Liberals chose to ride into the campaign on a wave of new spending, all of it paid for with borrowing.

This strategy was designed to save the premier’s hide and present a whole new level of so-called progressive initiatives to the people of the province.

However, out-of-control annual deficits add up to a current provincial debt of $312 billion, a figure that keeps more than one voter up at night. Under continuing Liberal rule, the debt could rise to as high as $370 billion within several months.

Until this campaign, the Liberals didn’t seem to understand the problems this creates, even though the party has presided over $1 billion a month in carrying charges.

On the spending issue, one Liberal candidate came away from a tour of a local hospital with all kinds of reasons more money should be put into front line health care. No room here for Doug Ford cuts. A legitimate and accurate observation.

However, what that candidate and others failed to consider is the fact that because of the Wynne government, health bureaucrats now outnumber family physicians in the system.

Hospitals have been desperately trying to get additional funds from the government for many years. The response by Wynne and company has been to increase the role, and cost, of the local health integration networks among other bureaucracies, while holding hospitals to annual increases that some years didn’t even cover the additional costs dictated by labour agreements.

Getting back to the devils in this election, the possibility of an NDP-Liberal coalition raised its head last week, if Ford’s Conservatives were to win only a minority June 7. Current polling would suggest that’s unlikely but anything can happen.

One reader suggested a minority Conservative government might be the best answer for Ontario until reminded that a coalition of the other two parties might keep Wynne in the premier’s office.

Her response: “Oh dear, the very thought of more Wynne gives me the shivers!”

For sure that’s the opinion of just one voter. But anecdotal evidence and coffee shop chatter suggests it is far more prevalent than any alternative view.

Another possibility with a coalition would see Horwath occupying the big chair as premier. Polling would suggest that to be a more acceptable alternative for many voters.

This kind of speculation might be nothing more than part of “anybody but Ford” talk.

Barring any unforeseen boondoggles, it seems unlikely the PCs will be held to a minority.

This Week's Flyers

Comments

We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page for more information.